Finally! 'Lost' is back

The wait is over. "Lost's" castaways are found. And I for one am on the edge of my seat hours before I take my place in front of the TV to find out what happened to Dharma Island, how and why Locke died, and if the Oceanic Six will return to the jungle.

My favorite show on Television returns for its fifth - and penultimate - season tonight to ABC. If "Lost" showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse are right about introducing an awesome new storytelling "device," we should prepare ourselves for another mind-blowing experience this season beginning with the two-hour premiere: "Because You Left" and The Lie."

(No spoilers ahead. Though tonight's premiere was made available to the press, I refused to watch because the episodes were labeled as unfinished - likely produced with rough music and special effects.)

In honor of tonight's fifth season opener (one the most anticipated events of the year in my home), here are five questions I believe could be answered this season:

1.) Where - or WHEN - did the island go? My favorite theory is the island shifted back in time to the days when Dharma was thriving. Imagine encountering a bunch of hippy geniuses conducting all kinds of groovy experiments that will eventually cause you a major inconvenience in a few decades. One thing's for sure, if this plays out, Little Ben is going to have a lot to answer for when the castaways get a hold of him.

2.) What's up with Locke in the coffin? The island's new messiah was last seen dead with Jack and Ben standing over the body discussing a return to jungle life. Is it for real, or is Locke's visit and death just a trick orchestrated by Ben ... or the island ... or both?

3.) Who are the Freighter Four, really? We caught glimpses (some bigger than others) of Lapidus, Daniel, Charlotte, and Miles' background in season four. But little has been revealed about what connection Charlotte has to the island, what's behind Miles' ghost whispering, why was Daniel crying at the news on television of Oceanic Air 815's crash, and is it just a coincidence that Lapidus was supposed to be piloting the plane that brought everyone to Dharma Island.

4.) Where did Smokey and the Hostiles come from? My guess is one or both are remnants of the ancient culture associated with the island, and we'll be learning a lot more about the island's seemingly supernatural properties and how it relates to this culture. Atlantis anyone?

5.) Why is Aaron so darned important? For years I kept in the back of my mind a pregnant Claire's visit to the psychic and his warning: "Nobody can raise this child but you." It paid off in season four when his words were echoed by a dead Charlie to Hurley, who gave Jack the spooky news.

Tonight's three-hour premiere event begins with a one-hour recap episode, which airs at 7 p.m. on ABC. Catch up on free episodes here.

Don't miss my weekly posts each Thursday where you can catch a recap of the latest episode, read the latest outlandish theory, and post your own ideas on what the heck is going on.